The April 2023 edition of the Cornell Lab eNews posed an interesting question: What if eBird data was used to chose new state/provincial birds? In this five-part article series, you can learn more about what birds might be better choices, including how many would keep their current choice!
“Seven states chose Northern Cardinal as their state bird, six chose Western Meadowlark, and five chose Northern Mockingbird. Nothing against these beloved and familiar species, but a state-bird shake-up might provide a chance to better showcase the rich diversity of North American birdlife. In this lighthearted thought experiment, Macaulay Library applications programmer Matt Smith used eBird data to inform a new list of state and provincial birds.
“For example, instead of South Carolina’s eponymous Carolina Wren, eBird suggests the cute little Brown-headed Nuthatch, with 12.7% of the global population living year-round in the state. South Carolina also has the second-highest population density of Brown-headed Nuthatches.”
Click on each of the links below to learn more!
- Can EBird Help Choose Better State Birds? [Part 1]
- Can EBird Help Choose Better State Birds? Part 2: Robins, Chickadees, Goldfinches, And Bluebirds
- Can EBird Help Choose Better State Birds? Part 3: Birds That Mostly Don’t Live In Their State
- Can EBird Help Choose Better State Birds? Part 4: Native Species And A Few Surprises
- Can EBird Help Canada Choose Better Provincial Birds?
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell Lab eNews, April 2023
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